Recycling outgrown clothes a success

Twin Branch PTA goes green with 'ABC Swap.'

Twin Branch PTA goes green with 'ABC Swap.'

December 16, 2008|VIRGINIA RANSBOTTOM Tribune Staff Writer

PTA members at Twin Branch Model School set up tables after school and filled them with clothing their children had outgrown. The second "ABC Swap" of the year was a chance for families to swap clothes for the winter season. "ABC stands for cleaning out your Attic, Basement or Closets," said PTA secretary Liberty Mroczek. "We are in the grass-roots stage, but we wanted to do something greener and community-based because as a model school, we should be setting an example for other schools." And with children in a stage of rapid growth, recycling barely broken-in clothing not only makes sense, but saves cents during tough economic times. The PTA's first ABC Swap was held in September with the idea of hosting a swap for each season. "We had a good turnout, it was more than expected," Mroczek said. PTA vice president Susan Henderson said while families exchanged clothes from 3 to 6 p.m., between 6 and 7 p.m., the swap was opened up for families who had no items to exchange. "My kids are older so I didn't think I'd find anything for them, but there was a lot of stuff," Henderson said. Any clothing left over is donated to the Christ Child Society. Items were not limited to clothing. There were household items, boots, toys, books and even an unopened box of cat litter. "You'd be surprised how many people wanted that box of kitty litter," Henderson laughed. "Must be a lot of people have cats." Or it could be used as a frugal person's sidewalk or road salt. The next swap will be held in spring. The PTA is considering opening it up to other schools if those schools don't want to start a swap of their own.Staff writer Virginia Ransbottom: vransbottom@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6344